Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Auto transmission intermittent problems

[SCox]

I am still having problems with my 99 trans. It is hanging in first or starting in second gear randomly and setting a check engine light when doing it. When coming to a stop I have to manually put it in 1st... . then sometimes it sticks in 1st and wont shift until like 30mph Sooo I replaced the speed sensor, shift solenoid sensor, transducer and I flushed the trans and replaced fluid twice now. The odd thing is It will go for days shifting and running perfectly (the new sensors made it shift much smoother than it has in a long time) without doing this, then boom throws the check engine light and acts stupid for several days, then stops. I just got off the phone with DTT and I did exactly what they would have done. Next hey said to pull the pan, check for contaminates and it is possible the new sensors are bad from the get go. This sucks! Their is also a posiblilty that the pcm is malfunctioning. First I am going to try and unhook the van aiken boxes and see if they are causing a problem as per DTT. This is obviously a electrical problem but where???? Any input at all would be appreciated here. Even moral support at this point:{

Thanks

Steve

 

[Huff N Puff]

We need to know

What codes you found. Its most likly a loose connection,probably the connector at the govenor solenoid,the little spades loosen. Or a poor ground,which will drive the APPS crazy. Start by testing the batteries, clean all the battery posts thouroghly.

 

[SCox]

Battery terminals are spotless, I will pull the pan down to check the fluid and check connections. I am going to check my one battery now that you mention it, I replaced one last year, but not the other. Hmmm. Cant hurt. I will go over my grounds again.
Thanks

 

[Huff N Puff]

Use a needle to

Battery terminals are spotless, I will pull the pan down to check the fluid and check connections. I am going to check my one battery now that you mention it, I replaced one last year, but not the other. Hmmm. Cant hurt. I will go over my grounds again.

Thanks

Tighten the little connectors,on the govenor solenoid. Using a volt meter on the lowest setting preferably less than one volt. You are measuring millivolts on the black wire with a blue tracer on the ground wire of the APPS. You will connect the negative of the volt meter to the battery ground and the positive to the APPS ground,you need to see less than 50millivolts. If its more you need to solder a redundant ground and connect it to the battery ground. It will stabilize the APPS. Did you get any codes.

 

[SCox]

Codes I am getting are 1690 and 1693. I have already grounded with soldered connections the tps ground. I will check it again. Going to check the batterys shortly. I don't think I will be able to check the fluid and sensors today. Probably monday.

 

[SKuyper]

Mine was doing stupid stuff like kicking in and out of TC lockup and starting out from a stop sign in second etc. I did the Suncoast Converters APPS rewire ( there is a pdf explaining how ) on their website. It ties the APPS, TCM and dashboard grounds all together to a clean ground inside the truck cab.

 

[Huff N Puff]

You need to scan the PCM

Codes I am getting are 1690 and 1693. I have already grounded with soldered connections the tps ground. I will check it again. Going to check the batterys shortly. I don't think I will be able to check the fluid and sensors today. Probably monday.

For codes,cause the 1693 means there is another code possibly in the TCM. The 1690 is a RPM sensor issue,possible crank sensor fault, possibly the cause of your issue.

 

[SPearson]

Hi Guys. I don't want to hijack this thread, but I am having similar problems. I just got my first Dodge Turbo Diesel ('99 3500 QC Laramie SLT 2WD). It is absolutely stock. It had a bad VP44 and LP so I put on an Airdog II 150 GPH (so I can up the HP later) and a VP44 from Thoroughbred Diesel (15% more HP than stock). It sat for 1 1/2 years and pack rats got into it a little. So far the damage has only been the right headlight/turn signal wiring and the air temp sensor wiring on the underside of the hood. Of course the fan for the vents/air cond were full of cactus parts. (OUCH!!) It is starting out in second gear every time except once this morning it actually started in first, but didn't want to shift into second until I let off the gas completely for a stop light. Then it started out in second again and hasn't gone back to first since. I am really on a budget right now due to buying truck and going thru a divorce so I have to try all the "free" fixes first. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks guys!

Stuart

 

[SPearson]

A bit more info...

It starts out in second gear, (feels like it is slipping kinda until it gets up to 30 or so) first shift (into third) is at 40-43 mph, second shift (into fourth) is at 47-50 mph. when it shifts into third, it is a soft shift that makes the rpm drop about 150 revs. When it shifts into fourth, it is a little bit firmer shift that drops the rpm about 500 revs. It seems to lock up better in third and fourth. In second if I let off the pedal, the rpms drop alot. When I let off in third or fourth the rpms don't drop as much. Thanks again!

Stuart

 

[SCox]

I disconnected the batteries and let it sit for about 15 minutes, reconnected the batteries (both have been replaced recently) and reprogrammed the apps with the throttle. Its fine now. It wont last. I did check the black with blue tracer and it has no resistance according to the meter. I'll search some on rpm sensor problem.
SPearson, first thing to do would be the apps ground wire mod, but I think your problem is similar to mine. Be careful driving your truck as it is DTT told me it will destroy the trans driving it while acting this way.

 

[SCox]

Back to stupidness again... ... ran perfect for 3 days, then sitting at a light, truck surges a little and pops the check engine light and it's now stuck in first. Turn the truck off and restart it starts in 2nd gear.

If I tap the black wire with blue trace (apps) to ground, I cannot get it into first manually. Stays in second and up. Now though if it is in first it will not shift to second no matter what. This is getting old. Anyone want to trade a six speed... ...

 

[SCox]

I am beginning to think my vp might be on the way out. Could this cause this?